Trust in Divided Societies - by Abdalhadi M Alijla (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

When countries try to navigate through the aftermath of conflict, trust is the main focus and the catalyst for rebuilding societies, nations, economies and democracies. Trust is vital, not only at an individual level, but also at a community level: trust is important to sustain peace and also works as a trigger to end conflicts. But why are some divided societies more prone to the collapse of social trust than others?

This book uses empirical and case study research, including qualitative comparative analysis (QCA), statistical methods, observations and interviews, to compare which policies and institutions to build trust have a greater impact on divided societies in the Middle East. The book focuses on Lebanon, Palestine, and Syria, but analyses the results from these societies by also comparing other political and ethno-religiously divided societies beyond the MENA region.

The book does not want to forward a universal 'theory' that gives us the origin of trust and how it is destroyed. Rather, it aims to provide a comprehensive explanation of generalised trust in divided societies and answer the question: under which institutions is generalised trust in a divided society maintained or destroyed, and how does this happen? Of key importance to Abdalhadi Alijla is to highlight the formal and informal institutions that inspire an elevated level of trust to help make societies less vulnerable to internal conflict, and also to give voice to the real people who live and experience divided societies.

Review Quotes

A welcome addition to political science literature ... an accomplished and accessible book.
Contemporary Levant

This is a thought-provoking book that significantly contributes to the debate on the role of trust as a key factor in understanding the dynamics of war-torn societies. A major strength of this book is that it combines theory debate along with empirical evidence and statistics available in a number of case studies. The author's personal experience in several conflict cases like Lebanon, Bosnia, Syria, and Palestine has enriched the discussion and reflection on the understanding of trust in divided societies. It is an important book for students and scholars studying conflict resolution, political science, social psychology, and comparative studies.

Using the concept of trust as a lens, Abdalhadi Alijla has provided a clear and compelling analysis of governance in Lebanon, Syria and Palestine. His analysis is sharp and this book is necessary reading for anyone interested in politics and society in this region.

About the Author

Abdalhadi Alijla is post-doctoral fellow at the Orient Institute in Beirut (OIB), Lebanon and Co-Leader of Global Migration and Human Rights at the Global Young Academy, Germany. He also has the position of Associate Researcher and the Regional Manager of the Varieties of Democracy Institute at Gothenburg University for Gulf countries, and Associate Fellow at the Post-Conflict Research Center in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has been granted several awards and scholarships, including DAAD (2009), RLC Junior Scientist (2010), UNIMI (2012), ICCROM (2010), Saud AL-Babtin(2002) among others.